By 1909, the completion of the Garland Canal brought water to the arid lands in the central Bighorn Basin, transforming the high plains desert into irrigated farmland. Homesteaders and businessmen poured into the region and established the town of Powell, named after famed government explorer John Wesley Powell. Residents of Powell worked through the years to overcome a variety of obstacles and establish a vibrant and lasting community that would continue to bloom in the arid landscape.